Fit yet most vulnerable to fatalities: Do fitness fanatics overdo gymming?

Over the past few months there has been a number of sudden cardiac deaths in relatively young and seemingly healthy individuals in various parts of the country leaving millions gasping for answers as cases of new Covid variant JN1 increase with deaths being reported in the countryIn the pursuit of fitness a puzzling paradox has emerged causing great consternation especially among those who exerciseAccording to Dr Aashish Contractor director Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai on social media it is common to attribute some of the deaths in young and fit persons to excessive exerciseIt is important to keep in mind that sudden cardiac death very rarely occurs in someone with a healthy heart Exercise may be the trigger to have a cardiac event in individuals who have undetected or silent heart disease but it is almost never the cause Dr Contractor saidHowever the recent toll of lives lost postexercise prompts reflection on the risk of overexertionInfluential fitness enthusiasts shaping ideals through social media set benchmarks that sometimes border on extremes said Dr Digvijay D Nalawade interventional cardiologist DPU Private Super Speciality Hospital Pimpri in PuneDr Sameer Gupta senior interventional cardiologist group director Cardiac Cath Lab at Metro Hospital in Noida said that many people are overdoing their exercises leading to their physical and mental health issuesThere are a number of possible reasons for the occurrence of individuals developing health problems or losing their lives after exercising Fitness trends and social media may contribute to exaggerated exercise regimens and unrealistic goals which may cause some people to overdo it he told IANSExercise fanatics may be driven to extremes by peer pressure a need for instant gratification and a lack of understanding of their own limitationsThe increased number of cardiac arrests that occur during workouts may be related to a number of heartrelated issues Particularly for those who are not used to regular exercise abrupt and intense physical effort can put stress on the cardiovascular system Dr Gupta explainedThese occurrences may be caused by improper warmup preexisting heart problems and insufficient medical screening prior to vigorous exerciseIt emphasises how crucial it is to seek medical advice from experts go through comprehensive health evaluations and gradually level up the intensity of exercise to protect heart health when engaging in fitness activities the doctor notedIn terms of a single episode of exercise there is no absolute upper limit defined and it all depends on the individuals training levelOne should avoid high levels of unaccustomed exertion the rule of thumb being that any given bout of exercise should not be more than a 10 per cent increase compared to previous bouts advise health expertsResearch has shown that a very large volume of exercise over several decades might cause some changes in the heart muscle as well as accumulation of calcium in the coronary arteriesAt this point the amount of exercise has not been defined and the consequences of these changes have not been fully understood However it is well known that to reap optimum health benefits moderate exercise is the way to go said Dr ContractorDr Gupta said that strength training flexibility training and cardiovascular activities should all be incorporated into a fitness routineAim for 75 minutes of vigorousintensity aerobic activity or at least 150 minutes of moderateintensity aerobic activity per week in addition to two or more days of musclestrengthening activities Heart health can be enhanced by a wellrounded fitness programme that includes both strength training and aerobic activities he saidIt is advisable for individuals to consult with their healthcare providers before initiating or making significant changes to their exercise routine added Dr NalawadeIn this age of wellness enthusiasm the true challenge is not just intense exercise but wisely moderating it a delicate balance between pushing limits and safeguarding holistic health he notedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever